


Halloween

by BlackHunter666



Series: A New Dawn Consolidated Military Support Services [1]
Category: Scarecrow Series - Matthew Reilly
Genre: A New Dawn, Gen, Halloween, Knight's from Old Money, Veteran Families
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-03 01:27:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21171140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackHunter666/pseuds/BlackHunter666
Summary: Every year, Knight's company puts on a big Halloween party for the families of American Veterans. This year, he's invited Shane and his unit out to the main estate for a Halloween they'll never forget.





	Halloween

Pulling up at the ornate entrance, Shane Schofield looked up at the stone archway then down at his GPS unit. According to the directions given, this was the place. New Dawn Estate. Beyond the wrought iron gates, he could see what looked like an old English estate, and horses in a field.

From a smaller gate set in the formal entrance, an older man approached the car and waited patiently for Shane to wind his window down. He was close to six feet in height, dressed in a classic dark grey suit with a smart bowler hat on his head.

'Welcome to New Dawn Estate. Do you have invitations?' he asked politely, with a hint of a British accent.

'Yeah, right here.' Shane nodded, handing over the three fancy invites. 'Do we get those back? Mother wants to keep hers as a memento.'

'Of course, that's not a problem at all.'

'Man, this joint is fancy as fuck. How'd we get invited to this place anyway?' Mother asked from the front seat.

'I really could not say, ma'am. You will have to ask the Lord of the Estate when you reach the main house.'

'The Lord of the Estate? Man, this is some twilight zone shit.' Buck added from the back seat.

'Can't be any worse than some of the other stuff we've been involved with.' Shane shrugged, accepting the invites back. 'Thank you.'

'Not at all, Sir. Simply follow this road up to the main house. Someone will be there to meet you when you reach the front doors.'

Shaking his head in wonder at the weirdness of the situation, Shane put his SUV back in gear and drove through the grand entrance. It was almost like entering another world. Huge trees lined the drive, offering glimpses of the fields and buildings beyond as he wound his way along the gravel drive.

Animals of all sorts roamed their fields happily, watched over by various people in different costumes. Some had dogs at foot; others carried various implements to make their lives easier.

'This can't be real.' Buck uttered, staring out the windows in disbelief. 'Or at least, can't be profitable.'

'It must be profitable, just look at that house.' Shane corrected, pointing as he rounded the last curve in the road.

The trees parted at last, revealing the great house in all its glory. The walls were crisp white, highlighted with red bricks around the multitude of windows across three stories. Front and centre, a wide, black staircase led up to the colonnade that supported a graceful archway over double doors.

Perfectly manicured shrubs and roses lined the front of the house, adding a pop of colour to the white façade. More flowers sprouted from tastefully painted window boxes under every window along the front, decorating the walls in pinks and greens.

Four people stood at the base of the stairs, all dressed like they'd stepped out of some British period drama. A maid, two footmen and one that was probably the butler for this house.

The butler was clearly older, grey hair combed back and wearing a black three piece suit with bow tie. 

The two footmen were younger, hair slicked back elegantly and dressed in three piece suits as well, but in a dark shade of green with dark red ties. 

The maid looked barely old enough to have graduated, blonde hair pulled back and covered with a dainty white cap that matched her crisp white apron.

Pulling up beside the gathered quartet, Shane cut the engine but before he could open the door, the butler was there to open it for him. Adding it to the list of weird shit this place had going on; he loosened his seatbelt and climbed out.

'Welcome to New Dawn Estate. If you'll come this way please, the Lord of the Estate is waiting for you.'

'What about our bags?' Buck asked as he climbed out.

'Travis, Andrew and Catherine will take care of your bags for you.' the butler explained, indicating the other three people around the car. 'And if you would like, I will park your vehicle in the garage once you are inside.'

'Holy shit, this is wild.' Mother uttered as she came up beside Shane.

'Sure, that's fine by me. Just be aware it's a little sticky shifting into reverse.' Shane nodded and handed over his car keys.

'I will take care of it, Sir.'

Turning back to grab his small, personal bag from the back seat, Shane slipped it over his shoulder and held it close when one of the footmen tried to take it from him. That seemed to be enough, as the smartly dressed man turned and grabbed another bag from the back instead.

'Right this way, please.'

'You got a name? You introduced everyone else.' Mother remarked as she looked the butler over quickly.

'My apologies Ma'am. I am Christopher. I manage most of the daily duties here at New Dawn Estate.'

Still looking around in disbelief at this grand house, Shane followed Christopher up and through the wide doors into a whole new world. Nudging his glasses up so he could fully appreciate the view, Shane moved aside for his friends to join him in his admiration.

Dark woods floors partly covered with expensive looking rugs. Pink marble pillars flanking each door leading out of the entrance hall. Six sets of double doors, all done in dark timber and detailed with shiny brass accessories. Between the doors, impressive portraits in gilded frames, the faces distantly familiar in some strange way. At the back of the room, a grand staircase swept up and split, leading the attention towards the second floor. Above them, a stunning crystal chandelier, rattling faintly as a faint breeze stirred the coloured glass. 

'Fuck me sideways.' Mother breathed.

'I almost don't want to touch anything.' Buck agreed softly. 'This can't be real.'

'Oh, it's real alright, Buck. Come on in and make yourselves at home. Catherine, you can settle Gena in suite 3. Travis and Andrew, suites 4 and 5 for Buck and Shane.'

Whipping around, the three Marines were once against left struck dumb. Standing in a now open doorway, wearing jeans and a grey t-shirt, was one Aloysius Knight. Ducking their heads quickly, the trio loaded down with luggage headed for the stairs to fulfil their duties.

'You sly fucker.' Mother grinned, shaking her head in disbelief. 'So who'd you have to knock off to score this place?'

'No one, Mother. Welcome to my family home. My paternal great-great-grandparents built this place from nothing but bare ground. Since then, it's been passed down to the eldest male son. I was born and raised here, right up until I joined the Army.' Aloysius explained with a shrug. 'Go park their cars, Chris; I've got it from here.'

'Just the one, Aloysius.' Christopher chuckled before heading back outside.

'Hang on; he was acting all formal before. What gives?' Buck asked, glancing after Christopher.

'Yeah, I asked him to do that. Wanted to put on a big show just to see your reactions.' Aloysius chuckled and beckoned them closer. 'c'mon, I'll give you the tour and introduce you to my people.'

'Where's Rufus? I expected to see him right behind you.' Shane asked, looking around for the taller pilot.

'He's either out in the hanger doing maintenance, or he's upstairs getting ready for the Halloween party this weekend.' Aloysius shrugged as he turned. 'He's got some big, flashy costume on the go. Not really sure what it's meant to be. He keeps promising that all will be revealed on the day.'

Wandering through the grand house, Aloysius entertained his friends with stories of some of the pieces that decorated the rooms. A lot of the stuff was antique, handed down through generations and added to through marriage over the years. Not just from American history either. He had a collection of stuff from Britain, since his maternal great-grandmother had been English nobility.

Most of the rooms weren't really used any more, unless there was a charity function or any other business dealings that needed privacy and comfort. The formal dining room was kept set out for a banquet just for show and the books in the library were rotated every so often so none of the rarer ones were damaged by too much sunlight.

'So, this party you invited us to?' Shane asked as they entered the drawing room.

'It's a big Halloween party for a bunch of special kids. Latest figures say we've got 360 kids coming for the weekend. Each one of them has lost a parent to the ongoing fighting in the Middle East. A few real unlucky ones have lost both parents.' Aloysius explained, ushering them over to the table to sit.

'When did you become so philanthropic?' Buck asked as he sat and reached for the waiting coffee pot.

'Since I was about 15, if I recall. My father wanted me to learn responsibility early, so he would take me to work with him three days a week. I learned a lot about our veterans before I signed up to become one. I was 24 when the whole business landed on my shoulders, had to learn fast to balance an active military career and such a huge business empire.'

'What sort of business?' Mother prodded as she poured her own coffee.

'I'm sure you've heard of A New Dawn Consolidated Military Support Services. My grandfather started the company in response to the veterans he was witnessing coming back from World War 2. At first, he relied on the money left by his father to build the organisation. But when my father was handed the business, he turned it into a not for profit charity and started creating ways for civilians to donate in whatever way they could. Now that I've got it, I've expanded it further. We've got branches in every state, sometimes two or three in the largest states.'

'I go to a support group at our local New Dawn centre. Specifically for those who've lost limbs in combat.' Mother nodded; voice low as she spoke. 'It's nice to be able to discuss the trauma without being judged. Can't tell the full truth, but no one seems to care how I lost mine.'

'My mom and I went to a grief councillor a few times after dad was killed. She was great, really helped us work through the pain.' Buck added with a small smile. 'Went back to her after my mom died, she was still as caring as ever.'

'I've been a couple times, sometimes for a group session, others just to get away from base and hide for a little while. It's nice to be around people who get it and don't press for details when I don't want to talk.' Shane admitted, staring down into his mug. 'I can't believe you own the whole operation though.'

'Hell, half the time I can't believe it either.' Aloysius laughed. 'I always knew I'd inherit it, but when it happened I was totally unprepared for the challenge. There's a lot to juggle to keep all those centres open and fully supported. I'd be lost if it wasn't for my huge team of staff working at the centres and behind the scenes to keep everything functional.'

'Ah, there you are.' Christopher smiled, wandering in to join the group. 'Your car is in the main garage, door seven.'

'I'll find it.' Shane nodded as he accepted his keys back.

'Out the front door, hang a left and follow the gravel path. The garage is the first building beyond the oak line.' Aloysius directed, lazily waving in the vague direction.

'I'll find it later.' Shane grinned, content to relax and enjoy his coffee for now.

'Stupid question maybe, but just how big is this place?' Buck asked, attention drawn to something moving outside the nearest window.

'Just this main house is 22,500 square feet spread over three floors. The whole estate is 10,000 acres, about a third of the original land. 1000 acres is a protected forest and nature reserve, another 1000 acres is set aside as prime hunting ground. Those two reserves are on opposite sides of the estate so there are no mistakes. The rest is divided between working farmland, formal gardens, a kitchen garden, orchard and living space for most of the staff.' Aloysius explained proudly. 'Hasn't been easy keeping so much land in the family name. Lots of people want parts for various development projects.'

'I can't even wrap my head around that sort of size.' Mother remarked as her gaze wandered around the room. 'Or the amount of cash tied up in this place.'

'Even I don't bother with knowing those figures, Mother. They're all written down in my office, along with all the other important details, but it's not something I have memorised.'

'You not knowing what you're worth? Now that I find hard to believe.' Shane smirked and leaned back in his chair.

'Oh, I know exactly what I'm worth Shane. Still the Second Best as rated by Carrington's. Running the largest non-profit for Veterans in the world. I have a household staff of 15, a business staff of 550 and I'm creeping back into the top 10 millionaires in the world. To be fair, I'm competing against folks who aren't doing a lot of charity work, so that's a bit of a challenge.' Aloysius shrugged, leaning back in his chair comfortably. 'The actual dollar signs don't matter to me, so long as it's still in the black.'

Everyone turned to look when one of the other doors swung open and in walked an older lady carrying a tiered stand in one hand and a fresh coffee pot in the other. Dressed in a lovely pale pink dress with a white apron around her waist, she had the air of a grandmother tending to her family. Bustling over to the table, she set the tray down and checked the current coffee pot.

'Everyone, this is my dear Maria. She's been the family cook for as long as I can remember. Maria, these are some of my closest friends. Shane Schofield, Gena Newman and Buck Riley.' Aloysius smiled, reaching out to take her hand lightly.

'Ah, ciao e benvenuto to you all. If you have any special diet issues, please do not hesitate to let me know. Anything at all, even if it is merely something you do not like to eat.' Maria smiled, moving around the table to greet everyone with a kiss and a hug.

'She's not kidding guys. Maria even took olives off the menu when she realised Rufus wasn't a fan. That's a big sacrifice for an Italian.' Aloysius added as he perused the snacks Maria had bought.

'I'm not a big fan of fish, got some bad memories.' Mother offered, looking away as she spoke.

'You do not need to explain anything. If you do not like fish, I will not serve you any fish while you are here.' Maria smiled as she reached across to swat Aloysius' hand. 'I raised you better than that, dear.'

'Si, you did nonna.' Aloysius grinned as he leaned back in his chair again.

'ma'am, anything you prepare will be a drastic improvement over my usual meals.' Buck smiled as he refilled his mug.

'Genuine Italian cuisine sounds like a real treat, Ma'am.' Shane added as he picked out a sandwich from the offerings.

'Enough of that, both of you. Maria is fine. I must get back to the kitchen, still so much to do before the little ones arrive.'

'As usual, feel free to borrow anyone you need to get everything ready, Maria. I'll come down tomorrow to help with the heavy work.' Aloysius replied, reaching out to take her hand lightly.

'After all these years, we have the party planning under control, dear boy. Do not worry so much.' Maria smiled and kissed his cheek again. 'Take care of your friends first, and finish your costume. You promised to make the effort this year.'

'I have, it's nearly done Maria. Just a few finishing touches that I need Veronica to help with on the day.'

'Hmm, we shall see.' Maria smiled and bustled out of the room with the nearly empty coffee pot.

'David just reported in, Sir. The first of the military buses has arrived.' Christopher warned, resting one hand on Knight's shoulder lightly. 'It's the Air Force Sir.'

'And now the real fun begins. I'd better go meet them at the front door. Your suites are on the third floor, any of the staff can show you where.' Aloysius sighed, draining his mug and standing. 'I'll find you after I've got this group settled in.'

~#~#~#~#~#~#~

Still trying to wrap his head around what he'd discovered; Shane wandered out of the house to explore some of the grounds. First he found the garage and checked where his car was, just in case it was needed in an emergency. Satisfied that all was well, he headed along this side of the house towards the back gardens.

Turning the corner, he paused and looked around in disbelief again. Out here, the land had been carved into several tiers. Shaking his head in wonder, Shane continued his explorations with a new interest. It made so much sense now. Aloysius had been so casual about the money involved in that hunt because he came from old money. Talking in the missions of dollars was clearly nothing new to him.

Closest to the house, the gardens consisted of formal hedges, fountains and statues. White gravel paths divided everything up into neat patterns and drew attention towards the towering arbour of evergreen that directed towards the stairs leading down into the next area.

Beyond the stairs, there was a full fairground sitting quietly in readiness. Rides, games and all manner of food stands set out to replicate the general chaos of a fair. Shane could already smell the food being prepared ahead. Some of the rides were lit up as others spun through testing; making sure everything was safe for the kids.

Further still and teams of workers were hard at work setting up rows of tents in two distinct blocks. Familiar tents at that. Each one big enough for six full grown men with all their related gear. Between the two blocks, other workers were busily erecting larger marquees and yet more unloaded folded tables and stacks of chairs from waiting trucks.

'ah, you must be one of Aloysius' friends.' an older man called, lifting one hand in greeting.

He looked to be in his sixties easily, grey hair peeking out from under the flat cap he was wearing. Wearing an unusual tweed suit with knee high boots, he gave the look of someone who possibly didn't belong in America.

'Uh, yeah. Shane Schofield.'

'Tobias Greene, groundskeeper for the estate. If you've the time, we can always use more manpower to get the tents ready for our guests. There are still cots to set out and privacy screens hung in the tents for the girls. These central marquees still need finishing before we can turn them into dining halls. Once we have that done, there are still the smaller tents to set up around the perimeter for the chaperones and active service personnel that will be here.' Tobias explained, motioning to various operations as he spoke.

'Just put me to work Tobias. I'm here to help however it's needed.' Shane nodded as he looked around again. 'If you can lend me two people, we can make a start on the perimeter tents.'

'That would be grand.' Tobias agreed readily. 'Marcus! Zack! Over here!'

The two men Tobias called on were much younger, probably only in their late teens. Both were dressed in similar treed suits and boots, indicating their junior place under Tobias' instruction.

'Perfect. Right you two, you're about to get a lesson in Marine Corps precision. We're on task to get the perimeter tents up and ready for people.' Shane briefed as he looked the pair over. 'Zack, go grab one of the mallets to drive the pegs in.'

With his two new companions in tow, Shane headed through the organised chaos to get a start on the job at hand. He knew these tents quite well. To the point he'd forgotten how many times he'd had to set them up in all manner of shitty weather. So with fine weather and two helpers, he was pretty sure he could get these ones up in record time.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~

Finding her way down to the kitchens, Mother stopped just inside the doorway and looked around in wonder. The place looked smaller than the mess hall on base, full of people bustling around and the air filled with the babble of voices. Right in the middle of it, her hair now coiled up under a cap, Maria kept careful control over everyone within her domain.

'Ah, Gena. What a surprise. Come, do not be shy.' Maria called, beckoning her into the chaos. 'I may have a task you can help with.'

'Me? I don't know a thing 'bout cooking on this level.' Mother admitted as she picked her way through the busy staff.

'That hardly matters, Gena.' Maria promised and reached out to take Mother's hand. 'Come, this way.'

Mindful not to get in anyone else's way, Mother followed along helplessly. Now she understood why Aloysius had such respect for this woman. She was clearly used to getting her own way and heaven help anyone who went against Maria.

'Here, you have strong hands. These ladies can use your help most of all.' Maria smiled, leading her into another room and handing over an apron.

Looking around the room, Mother nodded as she laced the apron around her waist. Several ladies were working in here, kneading mounds of dough and shaping it into loaves of various shapes and sizes. Looking up from their work, the ladies moved around to make space for Mother to join them.

'This is my granddaughter Graziella; she can guide you on what we need for the weekend. This is Gena, one of Aloysius' close friends so be nice.'

Washing her hands quickly, Mother took her place at the table beside Graziella and watched what the ladies were doing. Most of the women in here were young and thin, dressed in neat casuals with their hair tied back out of the way. Graziella looked like a younger Maria, with the same warm grey eyes and easy control of the kitchen. Two were older, but they were hands off at the moment. More like supervisors than actually working.

'This batch needs to be thoroughly kneaded and turned over. There are two other batches ready for the second knead and three waiting on the first knead.' Graziella explained, indicating the wooden trough in front of them. 'Watch how the others do it, it really is not complicated.'

Watching the other kneading teams, Mother grinned and got to work with the batch in front of her. The dough felt incredible under her hands, squishing and shifting as she turned it over and folded out the air.

'Have you known Master Aloysius long?' Graziella asked as they worked.

'I met him a couple years ago. He saved my life, along with the lives of some of my closest friends.' Mother nodded and smiled softly.

'That sounds like something he would do. When he is here, he is always so open and kind to the staff.'

'What's it like to work for him? I know him as a soldier, not really as just an ordinary guy.'

'When he is here, everyone is happier. We understand that he is the last of the line and most worry for his safety when he is not here at the estate. Grandmother prays for his safe return every night when he is not here and praises God when he returns. When he is here, he is always into everything. Checking on those around him and offering whatever help is needed. When Tobias, the groundskeeper, fell and broke his hip five years ago, Master Aloysius paid for his medical expenses and rehabilitation without hesitation. When my mother lost her job last year, he found a place here for her without even asking her skills. She works in the stables now, tending to his finest horses.' Graziella explained as she worked.

'Huh, doesn't sound like the hard ass I met on the battlefield. I should have known he had a softer side. Shoulda realised he was more than just a soldier with a chip on his shoulder. Especially after I saw how he treated Rufus.' Mother nodded, shifting her attention to another section of dough.

'He's an interesting one, that Rufus fellow.' another woman remarked from further along the table. 'Such a quiet young man, and the way he stays so close to Master Aloysius. Something is off about him, I swear it.'

'Sasha that is enough! Any business between Master Aloysius and Rufus is none of our business. You know better than to start any rumours, just remember what happened to Anna last summer.' one of the older ladies barked as she approached.

'Look, from what I've seen of them, I'd bet my career on them just being friends. Rufus is an introvert; he'll do anything to avoid conflict. Aloysius on the other hand, has a strong protection drive. They make a good team. That's all there is to it.' Mother cut in as she gave Sasha a hard look. 'Even if there is somethin' going on, it's none of your business anyway.'

That seemed to put an end to the discussion. None of the ladies wanted to mess with Mother when she was in full protective mode.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~

Roped into helping decorate outside, Buck was amazed by the sheer number of decorations that had been organised for the party. Dozens of jack-o-lanterns were laid out along the paths leading from the parking area to the campground, and more still scattered among the tents he could see.

All manner of things were hung in the trees and bushes that lined the paths as well. Skeletons and demons peeking out from behind tree trunks, witches gathered around a smoking cauldron, black cats and fluttering bats darting among the empty branches. Spider webs everywhere, glimmering faintly from the fairy lights strung from tree to tree.

As an extra touch, someone thought to put dye in the fountains on this side of the house. But instead of anything resembling blood, they just looked like someone had put some kool-aid in the water as a prank. With the lights directed into the water, it looked even less threatening or spooky.

'Hey Carlos, who's in charge of the fountains?' he asked, spotting the gardener draping more spider webs across another bush.

'Oh, that's another of my responsibilities. I already put the dye in to turn them blood red.'

'You might want to check them again. They look more pink than anything spooky.' Buck warned as he helped to drape the webs properly.

'Not enough to get the kids in the mood?' Carlos asked, wiping his hands as he straightened.

'I wouldn't be surprised if kids tried to drink it, thinking its kool-aid or something.' Buck admitted with a grin.

'Come on, we'd better get that sorted.' Carlos nodded, motioning for Buck to follow him towards one of the other buildings. 'I might have something else to add to the mix.'

Entering the gardening shed, Carlos handed Buck a fresh bottle of the red dye then grabbed a white bottle from another shelf. 

'Here, take these and add both to the fountains. Three capfuls of the white solution will turn the water milky, and then just add more dye to make it a suitable colour.' Carlos explained as he handed over some disposable gloves. 'These chemicals are perfectly safe, but the dye stains terribly so be careful.'

'I can handle that.' Buck nodded, looking at the two bottles again.

Heading for the fountains again, Buck thought back over some of his previous experiences and smiled. Who would have thought that becoming a Marine could give him a perfect chance to freak some kids out in a relatively safe manner? This was going to be a Halloween these kids would never forget.

Adding the chemical and dye to the first fountain, he stood back to admire the effect as the water circulated and darkened. Within a minute, the effect was perfect. Even the stray drops that splashed onto the stones around the fountain looked scarily like real blood shed in combat.

Moving on, he repeated the treatment on the other five fountains the kids would have to walk past and stepped back to admire the full effect. Oh yeah, now it really looked like the home of a deranged madman, perfect for Halloween. The kids were sure to get a kick out of the creepiness.

~#~#~#~#~#~#~

By the time the sun was going down, everything was ready for the kids to start arriving. Everyone involved was exhausted, feeling stiff and sore from the hard work that had gone into the final preparations. Even Mother, who'd spent most of the day in the kitchen, was stiff in the hands and shoulders.

The whole estate took on a darker appearance now that everything was done. Even the main gates were festooned with glowing eyes and black cats to add to the impression. The guards at the gate had also been provided with plenty of excess candy in case anyone decided to come trick or treating.

The staff were all excitedly talking about their costume choices and all the fun that was coming their way. They all loved these parties as much as the children that came to share in the festivities. Most of the costumes were simple affairs that wouldn't get in the way of their duties. A few were more complex, brilliant ideas coming to life to make the weekend special for everyone.

Aloysius and his friends didn't discuss their costume plans though, wanting to keep the surprise until tomorrow. They'd all been working hard on their ideas, putting in long hours to get everything perfect. They would have time in the morning to make final touches before lunch.

The kids were expected to start arriving at 1500, so everyone had to be in costume before then. Most of the chaperones were expected around lunch time, so there would be time to get them settled in before it was time for the show. The kids would all head home again on Sunday afternoon, hyped up and full of stories to tell their classmates about their awesome Halloween party.


End file.
